Stamp-vending machine.



l STAMP VENDING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 3. 1914.

J; F. TEFFT. STAMP VENDING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 3.1914.

19140310, Patented My18,'1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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STAMP VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION HLED-1U1Y 3. 1914.

Patented May 18, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

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JOI-IN FRANK TEFFT, OF ST. CHAR-LES, MICHIGAN.

ST'AllllfVENDING MACHINE.

v Appneatipn sied Ju'iy 3, 1914. serial Nyo. 848,986.

TQ all whom t may concern: f

De it known that I, JOHN FRANK Tnrii'r, a citizen of thelUnited States, residing at St. Charles, in the county of Saginaw' and State of Michigan, have invented new and Auseful Improvements in Stamp-Vending Machines, of which the following is a speciication.

This invention relates to improvements inl stamp vending machines and hasparticular applicatioirto a coin controlled vending Inacliine. c

ln carrying out the present invention, itis my purpose to provide a coin controlled stamp vending machine whereby upon the application of the proper coin to the machine the latter may be operated to deliver a stamp to the purchaser.

It is also my purpose to provide a stamp vending machine whereby the machine may be operated to de iv i r and sever stamps from a roll thereof singly in accordance with the number of coins inserted in the machine.

Furthermore, I aim to provide a machine of the class described wherein the mechanism will be self-contained and capable of removal from the casing as a unit so as to facilitate cleaning and repairing` of suoli mechanism. l

iVith the above and other objects in View, the invention consists in the construction7 combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forth inand falling within the scope of the-claims.

In the accompanying drawingsg'Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of a vending machine constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view therethrough showing the mechanism in side elevation. Fig.' 8 is a vertical transverse sectional view through the machine taken at right angles to Fig. 2 and showing the mechanism in front elevation. Fig. si is a vertical sectional \iew through the. 'receptacle carrying the inecminism showing the side of thc mechanism opposite from that illustrated in Fig..

2. F 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through the machine. Fig. 6, an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of one of the supporting standards. Fig. T is a perspective view of the carrier for the pressure roller. Fig. Sis a collective view. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the connecting bar. Fig. 10 is a view in elevation of the feedV roller and operating shaft therefor,

Specification of Letters Patent.

'PatentedMay 18, 1915.

parts being shown in section. Fig. 11 is a view in side elevation of the controlling disk. F ig. l2y is a transverse sectional view therethrough. Fig. 13 is a collective view. Fig. 14 is a fragmentary perspective View' of a detail of the invention. V

Referring'nowf to the drawings in detail,

l 1 designates a substantially rectangular casing having the front and side open and the rear wall formed, adjacent to the bottom wall,v with a vertical opening 2 and hinged to the bottom wall of the casing and movable tol a position to close the opening 2 is a cover plate 3 formed with an eye t adjacent to the upper extremity thereof adapted to register with an aperture 5 formed in the back oi' rear wall of the casing l. Slidable into and out of the casing l by way of the open front end thereof is a receptacle 6 carrying the mechanism of thel` machine and comprising a base or bottom wall 7, side walls 8, 8 upstanding from the bottom wall and spaced apart in parallelism. rhe outer faces of the bottom wall 7 and the side walls 8, S engage the inner face of the lower wall and side walls respectively of the casing when the receptacle is placed within the latter and closing the outer end of the receptacle is av front wall 9 forming a front wall for the casing. Formed on the opposite side walls of .the receptacle adjacent to the front wall.V

9 and extending across the upper and lower ends of the receptacle adjacent to the front wall 9 are abutment strips 10 designed to abut tlieouter edges of the side and top and bottom walls of the casing when the receptacle is placed within the latter so as to provide flush surfaces. Formed in the front wall 9 at a point approximately centrally thereof is a. delivery opening 11 having any inclined top wall 12 and a concaved lower wall 13 designed to accommodate the fingers of a purchaser.

Arranged within the casing 1 and'spaced apart from the rear wall thereof is avertical partition 14 disposed in contactwith the inner edges of the bottom and side walls of the receptacle and forming7 in effect, a closure for the receptacle and formed in the partition is a slot 15 spaced apart a suitable distance fromthe lower end of the partition.

Uprising from the base or bottom wall 7 of the receptacle and disposed immediately behind the front wall 9 at opposite sides of the delivery opening 11 are supporting standards 1G spaced apart in parallelism and journaled in the standards adjacent 'to the upper extremities thereof immediately lugs 22, 22 seated within the alining openings 19 in the standards and holding the yoke in position between the standards below the shaft 17, the upper ends of the supporting lugs 22 contiguous the respective curved depressions' 21 being formed with curved depressions. Rotatably mounted within the'se alining depressions are trunnionscarried by the opposite ends of a pressure rollerv 23 and-alining axially with each other and with the pressure roller. Fixed upon the outer extremities of the trunnions of the pressure roller are pinions' meshing with pinions keyed upon the shaft -17 at the outer sides of the standards so that when the shaft'is rotated motion will be imparted to the feed roller and pressure roller simultaneously. Depending from the under surface of the interconnecting member of .the yoke and spaced apart are pivot ears formed with axially alining openings 25 having the axes. thereof disposed parallel V with. the standards.

Extending outwardly from the'inner face .of one of the standards ,16 adjacentto the pivot ears 211 is a bracket 26 and pivot-ed upon the bracket 26 is a bell cr'ank lever 27 having a horizontal limb 28 and a depending vertical limb 29. The outer end of the horizontal limb 2S ofthe bell vcrank lever 27 is disposed between the pivot ears 24 and -formed with an elongated .slot 30 alining with the openings in the ears and passed through these alining openings and slot is a -pivot pin forming a pivotal connection between the yoke 20 and the bell crank lever.

Formed in the standards 16 carrying the i t bell crank lever immediately behind the vertical limb of such lever is an aperture and threaded through the aperture is an adjusting screw 31 having one end thereof in engagement with the vertical limb of the bell crank lever and the opposite end equipped with a manipulating head 32. By mea-ns of vthis construction, it will be seen that when the adjusting'screw 31 is rotated in one direction under the action of the head 32 the bell crank lever will be swung about its pivotal connection with the bracket 26 and the yoke 20 elevated with the effect to increase sie Athe frictional contact between the periphcries of the pressure roller .23 and thefeed roller 18, while when the direction of rotation of the adjusting screw is reversed'the bell crank lever will bepswung in the opposite direction to lower the yoke and so decrease the pressure of the pressure roller on the feed roller. The point of. contact of theA pressure and feed rollers is disposed adjacent t0 the bottoniwall ofthe delivery opening 11 and upstanding from the base 7 between the forward edges of the standards 16, 16 is a vertical support 33 having the upper end thereof terminating in alinement with the point of contact of the feed roller with the pressure roller and4 formed with a depression 34; extending the'full width thereof and with a rearwardly extending lip Extending rearwardly from the back edges of the lsupporting standards 16 are arms 36 38 equipped with a reel 39 upon which is placed a roll of stamps of the denomination vended by the machine. Fixed upon one end of the shaft 38 is a pinion f1() meshing with a.

gear wheel 41 journaled upon a stub shaft carried by the adjacent arm 36 and equipped pinion may be rotated to-revo'lve the drum to wind and unwind the stamps when desired.

with a crank handle 42 whereby the gear and 43 'designates a horizontal platform disposed between the standards 16 adjacent to l.

the upper ends thereof and val-ining with the point of contact between the rollers 23 and 18. This platform has the opposite sides thereof downturned as at L14 and provided with apertures wherebythe platform may be securedto the confronting faces of the standards'at the proper point. Formed integral with the rear edge of the platform or connected thereto in any suitable manner and extending rearwardly therefrom isa horizontal tube 45 substantially rectangular j 1n cross section and havingthe rear end thereof disposed in proximity to a guide roller 46. Overthe guide roller. L16 and through the tube 45 is trained one end of a roll of stamps carried by the reel 39, suchA end of the roll being carried over the platform 43 and between the rollers 18 and 23.

Irrthe present instance, the shaft 17 is y coineentrolled and the coin controlled mechanis'm comprises a ratchet wheel L17 fixed to the shaft 17 adjacent to one end thereof and disposed concentrically of such shaft. Mounted upon the upper ends ofthe standards-16 and arranged transversely thereof and suitably secured thereto isa connecting Ibar 48 having one edge disposed immediately adjacent to the rear face of the front wall 9 of the casing and formed centrally with a slot or way 49 pivoted upon one end of the connecting bar 48 andV normally engagingy the teeth of the ratchet wheel 17 is 85 carrying horizontally alining bearings 37 and journaled in the bearings 37 is'a shaft a spring pressed dog 50 adapted to prevent tion. Loosely surrounding the end of the shaft carrying the ratchet wheel 47 and placed in face to face contact with the latter is a disk 51 formed -withf a radial coin slot 52 yopening onto the periphery thereofand a radial shoulder 53 on they periphery thereof approximately .centrally of the coin slot.' Formed in the disk 52 atdiametrically opposite points are arcuate ,slots 54 and passedr through the slots 54 are headed screws l55 threaded into openings formed in the adjacent face ofthe ratchet wheel 47. Suitably fastened to the outer face of the disk l'concentrically of the axis 'thereof-- and projecting outwardly therefrom is a collar 56 and disposed within the'collar. 56 and fixed therein is one` end of a shaft 57 alining axially with 'the shaft 17 and hav ing the opposite end thereof projecting outwardly of the adjacent side wall of the casing and .equipped with an operating handle 58. Pivoted upon the outer face of one of the standards 16 adjacent to the upper end thereof above the` disk 51 and bearing upon the periphery of the latter is a dog 59 hav. ing the disk engaging end formed with a rounded edge 60. Projecting inwardly from the inner face of the side wall of the receptacle adjacent to the disk 51 is a pin 61 and pivoted upon the pinl 61` and depending therefromis a vertical arm 62 having the lower end equipped with a weight 63 and the upper extremity formed with an upwardly projecting finger. 64 normally en gaging a pin 65 secured to the outer face -of the disk 51 adjacent to the periphery thereof. The upper end of the casing is formed with a coin slot.and leading from such slot into the casing is a coin' chute 66 having the lower endthereof disposed in proximity to the periphery of the disk 51 and curved to conforxnto the configuration thereof. vUnder normal conditions, the arm 64 is held in engagement with the pin 65 under the action of the weighted arm 62 and the shoulder 53 is held spaced apart from the curved, end 60 of the dog 59. When a coin is dropped into the chute 66 such coin gravita-tesy into the radial coin slot 52 in the disk 51 and when the handle 5S is rotated to rock the shaft 57 motion is imparted to the disk 51. In the initial movement of the disk the periphery of the coin engages the rounded edge of the dog 59 and so swings the latter out of the path of movement of the shoulder 53 and in the continued rotation of the disk under the action of the shaft 57 the end walls of the slots 54 engage the screws 55 and so revolve the ratchet wheel 47 and shaft 17 thereby rotating the pressiilre and feed rollers 23 and 18 with 'the effect to move the stamp between the feed rollers out of the casing by way of the delivery opening 11. Disposed in proximity to the periphery of the disk 51 at a point diametrically opposite the chute 66 is a second 'coin chute 67 havingbthe end ythereof adjacent to the disk curved to conyof the chute 67 the coin vdrops into the lat ter-and gravitates into the coinvreceptacle .formed by the back wall of thevcasin'g 1 and the partition 14. When the shaft 17 makes one complete 4revolution the shoulder 53 on thedisk 51 engages the dog 59 and s`o prevents further movement of the shaft, while the pin 65 engages the finger 64. Upon the release of the handle the weighted leerer 62 swings the finger 64 and the latter -moves the disk 51 through an angle equal t o the length of the slots 54 thereby restoring the disk 51 to normal position so that a Vsecond coin deposited in the chute 66 will drop into the coin slot 52 in the disk. Vhen the shaft 17 makes one complete revolution as ljust described the pressure and feed rollers .by sliding astamp through the delivery opening 11, the circumference of each roller being such as to moif the strip of stamps through this distance upon a complete revolution of the shaft 17.

Formed in the confronting faces of the standards 16 at the forward edges thereof immediatelyl behind the delivery opening 11 are guide grooves 68 and mounted within the guide grooves 68 and capable of vertical sliding movement therein is. a knife 69 having a lower cutting edge, such edge is. disposed within the groove 34 formed in the upper edge of the support 33. Pivotally connected with the upper edge of the knife 69 and projecting upwardly therefrom is a rod 70 slidably mounted within the way 49 and haring the upper end thereof pivotally connected with a-horizontal lever 71, such` lever having one end pivoted to one side f wall. of the casing as at T2 and the opposite extremity pivotally connected with 'a block 73 slidably mounted within a guide groove 'A 74 formed in a supporting block 75 fixed to yne upper end of the standard 16 remote from the wall of the casing to which the lever 71 is connected. The lower endrof the block 73 is formed with a depending tongue 7 6 having the lower ,edge thereof out atan angle and concaved as at .17. The lower` end ,20 the strip. A

swings aboutthe pivot 72' and so elevates 'the knife G9 through the medium of the connecting rod 79. In the `upward movement of the knife the stamp is passed through the delivery opening andimmediately succeeding the passage of the stamp into the.delivery opening the lower -end of the tongue 76 is relieved of the influence ofthe periphery of the disk-79 and drops into the recess 78 whereby the knife 69 drops to normal position and severs the projecting stamp from The upper portion of the delivery opening li is equipped witha transparent plate 80 whereby tampering with the mechanism isCelimin-ated and the knife 69 immediately behind the transparent plate is formed with a sight opening 8l whereby a prospective purchaser may vinvestigate to determine whether or not the supply of -stamps has been exhausted.

In the present instance, the partition lll and front wall 9 are formed with openings alining with each other and with the' opening in the rear' wall of the casing and passed through these aliiiing openings is a securing-rod 82 haviiigone end headed and the opposite end formed with an eye passed throughA the opening 4 in the closure plate v3 and designed to receive the liasp of a lock 83 so that, the parts of the casing will be locked against removal and the coin receptacle maintained closed.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and mode of opera` tion of my improved vending machine will .be readily apparent. When a coin of the proper denomination is deposited in the chute 66, such coin drops into the slot 52'in thc` disk 51. The shaft 57 may now be rotated to revolve the shaft 17 and in the movement of the pressure and feed rollers to deliver 'a stamp the knife is elevated and moved out of the delivery openingwliereby J- Witnesses:

the stamp will be moved intothe delivery opening. Immediately succeeding the passage of the stamp into the delivery opening and sever the the block 7 3 is relieved of the influence of the periphery of the disk 79 thereby permitting the knife to drop to normal position projecting stamp from the strip.

l/Vliile 'I have herein shown and described one preferred form of my invention byfway of illustration, I' wish `it tov be understood that I, do not limit or confine myself to the precise details of construction herein described and delineated, as modification and variation may be made within the scope .of the claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

, I claim:

`1. In a stanp vending machine fa casing having a delivery opening in the ront Wall thereof, feed and pressure rollers journaled in said casing at the rear of the deliveryv opening, a shaft carrying said feed roller, driving connections between said shaftand pressure roller, means for actuating said shaft to rotate said rollers, a knife normally obstructing the delivery opening and movf' able out ofthe latter inthe operation of the feed and pressure rollers, and means operable fi'om said shaft for moving the knife out of the opening and restoring the saine to normal position succeeding the operation of the feed and pressure rollers.

2. In a stamp `vending-machine, a` Casin having a delivery opening in the front Wa thereof, feed and preure rollers journaled i in" said` casing at the rear of the-delivery opening, a shaft carryingsaid feed roller,

vdriving connections between said shaft and pressure roller, means for actuating said shaft to rotate said rollers, a knife normally obstructing the delivery .opening and movable out of the latter in the operation of the feed and pressure rollers, a horizontal lever pivoted within said casing, a connection be'- twee'ii said lever and knife,` a block connected to said lever and capable of sliding movement, and a disk fixed to said shaft and sliding said block to move the knife out of the opening during the operation of thefeed and pressure rollers and restore the knife to the feed and pressure rollers.

In testimony whereof I aifix'my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN FRANK TEFFT.

VERNON C. VAN DUsEN, Emmi: A. DEA-inns.

normal position succeeding the operation of r 

